While at the neighborhood grocery store, I accidentally bumped into a man. I immediately said, “Oops, excuse me, sorry!” He replied “No worries.” I thought to myself, I just made another cultural observation! Bajans are not concerned about personal space. The opposite is true in the US!
Here is an example, a relative of Sandra’s was sitting at the rear of a crowded bus when another full figured relative got on the bus and loudly announced “Wunna mek wunna selves small!” Translated this means “Somebody give me a ‘scotch'”, because I’m tired and I don’t want to wait for the next bus!”She was a not asking for a drink but for a little space to sit down.
Private ZR vans (pronounced “Zed R”) are very popular in Barbados. You would be surprised that when everyone makes themselves small on a ZR van that you can double the capacity. I’ve seen it and experienced it! Locals and tourists alike squeeze in leg to leg, hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder getting small. And, since so many here wear short skirts, short shorts and tee shirts much of the contact is skin to skin! No worries though, for $2.00 ($1.00 US) a ride, it’s okay to give up a little personal space, right?
Here is another example: Sandra and I were reading the Nation newspaper together at a public picnic table (facing out). As we were commenting about an article , I sensed the woman sitting on the other side (our backs was to her) raising up looking over our shoulders. Within two-twos the woman moved along side me and continued to read with us. There we were with me in the middle holding the paper, Sandra on one side and the woman on the other. That’s pretty bad but it gets worse, when I was ready to turn the page to continue the woman said “Wait, wait, wait.” No worries, I looked at Sandra and shook my head, then at the woman and waited until she said “Okay.”Which meant, now I’m finished you can turn the page.
You see, when I share my space with your space and you share your space with my space, even among strangers, at the end all a we become friends!
Thanks for sharing. It’s really something to think about. I know as an American we don’t want anyone standing too close to us in the grocery line. Or touching our arm on the arm rest on the plane. I guess I will react differently now after reading this article and not be so touchy about it.
Calvin if you think that is something. Many Barbadians would tell you that sometimes mothers with babies or toddlers would get in the bus (Transport Board Bus) and if they can’t sit and have to stand up in the bus they would ask you to hold their babies for them and let the toddlers sit on your lap. Sometimes as more passengers get in the bus they would be in the back of the bus sitting while you are still in the front and sometimes they only come for the child when they or you are disembarking from the bus. Sometimes if you are sitting in the bus, women who get in the bus while it is full, they might give you their bags to hold if they have to stand in the bus. They don’t worry about you holding them either. If they get a seat in the bus they would communicate to the person in front of them to ask you to send their bag for them. So you would see the bag being passed right down to you by the other passengers. We Bajans are in a category of our own… LOL!